National Comics Vol 1 1
| Writer1_1 = Will Eisner | Writer1_2 = Dave Berg | Penciler1_1 = Dave Berg | Inker1_1 = Will Eisner | Colourist1_1 = | Letterer1_1 = | StoryTitle1 = The Coming of Uncle Sam | Synopsis1 = Some time during the "dust bowl" migrations of the mid-1930s, at the Arizona/California border, self-styled future-U.S.-dictator Andel Cobra sent his henchmen Scar and Snyle to infiltrate an "Oakie" refugee camp, to rabble-rouse the disaffected and desperate, and recruit an antidemocracy army of "Purple Shirts" from among the former farmers. Their logo, banner, and insignia was a plus-sign inside a diamond. Elderly refugee Ezra Smith speaks out against these traitors, for which he is shot dead, in the back, by undergangster Snyle. That day, on foot, coming from nowhere in particular, whistling Yankee Doodle, Uncle Sam shows up at the migrant camp, and hires on the newly orphaned Buddy Smith as his assistant. As they talk, henchman Snyle tips over a large boulder onto Uncle Sam; it breaks, without even creasing his hat or knocking it off. Snyle runs but Buddy tackles him, and Uncle gives him a stern talking-to, then lets him run away. Back at the migrant camp, Scar (who now has a hitler mustache) is receiving his marching orders; the Purple Shirts need to report to their hidden base by the next day. Snyle runs in and tells Scar about Uncle Sam; Scar has now had all he can stand of Snyle's craven sniveling, and he just guns him down. But when Unc and Buddy arrive at the migrant camp, Snyle has not yet died, and he rats out Scar and gives directions to the Purple Shirts' secret fort, with an underground hangar, located in a hollowed-out hill, in Box Valley, in or near the southern Rocky Mountains, not very far from a U.S. Army base. ("It's about as far away from the unnamed Army post as a small boy can run in under one day.") The next day at this Box Valley base, Scar arrives with his several carloads of troops, and meets Andel Cobra's OTHER colleague, Gatch Gozan, (a monocle-wearing agent for a well-known foreign power), who has promised to aid the Purple Shirts with troops, money, and a couple of pocket battleships. Meanwhile and elsewhere, the U.S.President, (who has white hair, is pattern-bald, and can walk), is kidnapped from the presidential yacht, by foreign agents, using an autogiro and a seaplane. He is flown to Box Valley and locked in a cell. Some time later, outside the secret fort, after sending Buddy to run for reinforcements, Uncle Sam pretends to get captured, and gets in to see Andel Cobra. He describes the situation as he sees it, and the hero's rhetoric stirs some of the recruits, inciting them to revolt against the Shirts, and there is an intramural shoot out. Then the Army arrives with howitzers, and amid the excitement, Uncle Sam finds the President's cell, wrenches the bars out of the wall, and flies through a stone wall with the president literally holding onto his coat-tails. Sam then runs back into the besieged secret fort and yanks out Andel Cobra, and hands him over to the Army. | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Villains: * Andel Cobra * Scar * Gatch Gozan * Purple Shirts * Snyle Other Characters: * Ezra Smith * Locations: * :* * :* * :* * :* ::* :::* Purple Shirts' secret fort :::* nearby U.S. Army base ::* :::* Items: * Vehicles: * | Writer2_1 = Toni Blum | Penciler2_1 = Witmer Williams | Inker2_1 = Witmer Williams | StoryTitle2 = Prop Powers: "Death Rides the Airways" | Synopsis2 = | Appearing2 = Featured Characters: * Prop Powers Supporting Characters: * Villains: * Other Characters: * June Dawn * S.S. Kreesus Locations: * Items: * Vehicles: * | Writer3_1 = Toni Blum | Penciler3_1 = Chuck Mazoujian | Inker3_1 = Chuck Mazoujian | StoryTitle3 = Sally O'Neil, Policewoman: "Sally Joins the Force" | Synopsis3 = | Appearing3 = Featured Characters: * Sally O'Neil Supporting Characters: * Villains: * Big Jim Saponi * Smilin' Joe Dukes Other Characters: * Sgt. O'Neil (Sally's father) * Mrs. O'Neil (Sally's mother) * Pat O'Neil (Sally's brother) * Mike O'Neil (Sally's brother) * Tom O'Neil (Sally's brother) Locations: * Items: * Vehicles: * | Writer4_1 = | Penciler4_1 = George Tuska | Inker4_1 = George Tuska | StoryTitle4 = Kid Dixon: "Dixon's First Fight" | Synopsis4 = | Appearing4 = Featured Characters: * Danny "Kid" Dixon Supporting Characters: * Villains: * Other Characters: * Bottle Topps Galsworthy * Marvo the Muscle Man * Jimmy Jones Locations: * Items: * Vehicles: * | Writer5_1 = | Penciler5_1 = Dan Zolnerowich | Inker5_1 = Dan Zolnerowich | StoryTitle5 = The Origin of Merlin | Synopsis5 = Young, handsome, formerly-wealthy playboy Jock Kellog inherits his uncle's estate, including the original Merlin's powerful cloak, which makes him the last Merlin. In London he almost-inadvertently saves a suicidal window-jumping woman from a fatal fall, and is amazed to realize that he has actual magical powers. Months pass, then Merlin appears on a battlefield, and tells a dying soldier that the war is almost over, then rises into the heavens and explores the misty realm of the gods, until he finds Peace, (Herself, the goddess or spirit or personification of Peace), tied to some cannons; she can only be freed when Mars is defeated. Merlin confronts Mars, God of War, who jeers at him, and ineffectually swipes at him with a big sword, then responds to Merlin's challenge, and brings his pals Hunger and Poverty with him. Merlin punches out Poverty and outwrestles Hunger, then grapples with Mars himself. "On Earth, as Merlin's chances of victory grow, diplomats call a sudden conference at the Hague World Court." Merlin breaks Mars's big sword over his knee, then an Armistice is signed, which ends most or all of the fighting on Earth. In every city joy fills the streets. | Appearing5 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Villains: * , God of War * , ally of Mars * , ally of Mars Other Characters: * | Writer7_1 = Toni Blum | Penciler7_1 = John Celardo | Inker7_1 = John Celardo | StoryTitle7 = Wonder Boy: "The Boy from the Meteor" | Synopsis7 = Wonder Boy was rocketed to Earth from the destroyed planet Viro, and thousands were killed when his flaming meteor of a spacecraft crashed in Chicago. That shooting star had also been visible in Mongolia, where an ambitious Mongolian General took it as an omen to begin warring on Europe, and assembled an army: 300,000 men and 10,000 cannons. "Mobilizing hastily, Europe desperately attempts to defend Herself against this ruthless invasion." Meanwhile in Chicago the earthling-looking alien boy, (with dark hair and a spit-curl), in his blue and red outfit, a crash-scene survivor with apparently no name, and a story nobody believes, gets put into an orphanage. Soon he hears news of the Mongolian Invasion, and swims all the way to Europe to help, across the Atlantic, North, and Baltic Seas. He quickly and successfully leads "the western army" to victory over the Mongolians. At story's end, all Europe unites in honoring Wonder Boy as the greatest hero of modern times, with the men of all nations bowing before his superior qualities. "The strength of a hundred full grown men in one little boy!" | Appearing7 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Villains: * Mongolians | Writer8_1 = | Penciler8_1 = Henry Kiefer | Inker8_1 = Henry Kiefer | StoryTitle8 = Cyclone: "Race For a New Planet" | Synopsis8 = | Appearing8 = Featured Characters: * Cyclone Supporting Characters: * Villains: * King Murdo of Mars Other Characters: * Joy Daye * Professor Nebula Locations: * Items: * Vehicles: * | Writer9_1 = Klaus Nordling | Penciler9_1 = Klaus Nordling | Inker9_1 = Klaus Nordling | StoryTitle9 = Pen Miller: "Corpse In the Bedroom" | Synopsis9 = | Appearing9 = Featured Characters: * Pen Miller Supporting Characters: * Villains: * Grigor Other Characters: * Niki Locations: * Items: * Vehicles: * | Writer10_1 = Herman Bolstein | Penciler10_1 = John Celardo | Inker10_1 = John Celardo | StoryTitle10 = Introducing Paul Bunyan | Synopsis10 = | Appearing10 = Featured Characters: * Paul Bunyan Supporting Characters: * Babe, the Blue Ox Villains: * Other Characters: * Locations: * Items: * Vehicles: * | Writer12_1 = Toni Blum | Penciler12_1 = Charles Nicholas | Inker12_1 = Charles Nicholas | StoryTitle12 = The Coming of the Kid Patrol | Synopsis12 = | Appearing12 = Featured Characters: * Kid Patrol Supporting Characters: * Villains: * Other Characters: * Locations: * Items: * Vehicles: * | Notes = * Marvel Boy ** In Quality Comics' comic books of 1940 and 1941, the Mongolians were a military threat rivaling that of Japan. *** In Crack Comics (#12), and in (#18), the Red Torpedo fought "Mongolese" submariners, aviators, and soldiers, in the western Pacific Ocean. *** In National Comics (#1 & #2), Wonder Boy fought a vast army of invading Mongolians on the eastern frontier of Europe. * Merlin ** In the Quality Universe, the Second World War was marked by several false starts and false finishes: *** In Smash Comics #5 (Dec 1939), the USA became so well-armed and powerful that all the nations in Europe decide to make peace rather than risk war with America. "The United States could wipe Europe off the map in a year. We must sign the peace pacts offered by their president, and disarm at once." *** In Smash Comics #7 (Feb 1940), after several Axis armadas had failed to fight their way past the Pan-American Caldwell Line, from Europe to the Western Atlantic, "the dictators capitulate and an armistice is signed in Geneva. World peace is now a reality." *** In Smash Comics #9 (April 1940), upon Motler's death, world peace was declared, and Poland was restored. *** In National Comics #1 (July 1940), Merlin wrestled the god Mars until he cried for mercy, at which time: "The peace is signed. ... In every city, great joy fills the streets as mothers, wives, and sweethearts greet their loved ones." *** In Hit Comics #2 (Aug 1940), the European part of the war, and the career of Dictator Radolf, were brought to an end with a written declaration. "The world rejoices as the tyrant's signature ends the war, and news of his retirement from public affairs reaches the people." *** In Hit Comics #4 (Oct 1940), the Kampflandic invasion of North America was brought to an end with a non-aggression pact and a peaceful trade agreement, negotiated between the U.S.President and the surviving leaders of the Kampflandic army. “''The soldiers and tourists join hands in a firm understanding of peace and brotherhood. Instead of the roar of guns, the lilting strains of dance music mingle with the chatter all along the ramp.''” | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = * Digital Comics Museum: National Comics #1 * National Comics #1 July 1940, entire issue }}